pbray: (Darth Tater)
pbray ([personal profile] pbray) wrote2011-08-16 07:33 am

Entropy

Once upon a time, Patricia bought a computer system which came in a special box. "I must save this box," she thought to herself. "I will need it when I move." Because, you see, Patricia was used to being a student and moving every couple of years.

But Patricia didn't move. And lo and behold the PC she had once adored became merely tolerated, then despised, and a new system took its place. And the boxes for that new system were carefully stored in the basement, in preparation for the day when she would need to move.

Years passed. Boxes accumulated. PCs were adopted, lived, and were sold/given away/sent to the crusher without ever being reunited with their original boxes.

Finally the day came when she could take it no longer. Descending into the spidery depths of the basement she took on the mountain of boxes, and carefully broke them down for recycling. Boxes for system units, monitors, printers, scanners, laptops... all the way back to the PC Jr that had started it all. Flushed with triumph she dragged the stack of them out to the curbside, where this morning the recycling truck gathered them up and took those boxes to a better place.

Of course the corollary to this story is that I will no doubt need a giant box at some point in the near future and find myself saying "If I'd only saved that box...." But for now, I'm basking in the unusual feeling of virtue.

[identity profile] jhetley.livejournal.com 2011-08-16 11:54 am (UTC)(link)
In our case, it's the attic. I was noticing a "Leading Edge" box, just the other day . . .

[identity profile] pbray.livejournal.com 2011-08-16 03:04 pm (UTC)(link)
My brother curses Florida homes for their lack of basements (or attics) but there is something to be said for not having a black hole that you can fill with crap.

[identity profile] mtlawson.livejournal.com 2011-08-16 12:49 pm (UTC)(link)
jr?

jr?

And I thought my wife was a pack rat.

Well, I'm not much better, with that TI-99/4A we have floating around the house....

[identity profile] pbray.livejournal.com 2011-08-16 03:05 pm (UTC)(link)
Well junior was disposed of over twenty years ago--I dimly recollect giving it to someone. But the box lived on....

[identity profile] libwitch.livejournal.com 2011-08-16 03:58 pm (UTC)(link)
my husband insists on saving the boxes all his pc games comes in. games that I am pretty sure that no longer run on his pc. I am hoping that one day he has this sort of epiphany.

[identity profile] pbray.livejournal.com 2011-08-16 04:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Judging by my personal experience, it may take a while. Though perhaps if you were to move he might be inspired....

[identity profile] jennifer-dunne.livejournal.com 2011-08-23 06:20 pm (UTC)(link)
But you saved the CURRENT set of boxes, for taking the PC you have now to NH, right?

[identity profile] jennifer-dunne.livejournal.com 2011-08-23 06:21 pm (UTC)(link)
... although I suppose you could save everything onto a thumb drive and buy a new PC there.

[identity profile] pbray.livejournal.com 2011-08-23 07:33 pm (UTC)(link)
Nope, current PC boxes crushed--pc and monitor will be wrapped in bubblewrap and moved in my car.

I do note that the monitor box for the PC Jr was labeled "PALS! DO NOT CRUSH!" which means it was probably used to transport stuffed animals....

I did keep the box for the new TV though :-)